DAILY- HOMILY

February 23, 2015 MONDAY, 1ST WEEK OF LENT

St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr 

Violet

Lv 19:1-2, 11-18 / Mt 25: 31-46

[A disciple of St. John the Apostle, St. Polycarp (d. 155), Bishop of Smyrna (now Izmir in Turkey) was martyred by the Roman pro-consul.]

Reading: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18

     Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,  2 "Speak to the entire assembly of the people of Israel and say to them: Be holy for I, Yahweh, your God, am holy.

     Do not steal or lie or deceive one another. Do not swear falsely by my name so as to profane the name of your God; I am Yahweh.

     Do not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse a deaf man nor put a stumbling block in the way of the blind; but you shall fear your God; I am Yahweh.

     Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor nor bow to the great; you are to judge your neighbor fairly so as not to share in his guilt. Do not go about as a slanderer of your people and do not seek the death of your neighbor; I am Yahweh.

     Do not hate your brother in your heart; rebuke your neighbor frankly so as not to share in his guilt. Do not seek revenge or nurture a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh.

Gospel: Mt 25:31-40

     When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be brought before him, and as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, so will he do with them, placing the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.

     The King will say to those on his right, 'Come, blessed of my Father! Take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you welcomed me into your house. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to see me.'

     Then the good people will ask him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and give you food; thirsty, and give you something to drink; or a stranger, and welcome you; or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and go to see you?' The King will answer, 'Truly I say to you: whenever you did this to these little ones who are my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.'

     Then he will say to those on his left: 'Go, cursed people, out of my sight into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you did not give me anything to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; I was a stranger and you did not welcome me into your house; I was naked and you did not clothe me; I was sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'

     They, too, will ask: 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, naked or a stranger, sick or in prison, and did not help you?' The King will answer them: 'Truly, I say to you: whatever you did not do for one of these little ones, you did not do for me.'

     And these will go into eternal punishment, but the just to eternal life."

Reflection:

     During the Last Judgment, as described in today's Gospel, it is very clear how Jesus will judge each one of us. He already tells us how we should conduct our life before he renders judgement: "'Whenever you did this to these little ones who are my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.'"

     As Christians, we are expected to continue with Christ's mission: feeding the hungry, helping the poor, promoting justice, spreading the Good News. As long as we recognize every person (not only those whom we know and like or are close to us, but everyone, including those who are difficult to love) as a brother and sister and treat them with love and compassion, Jesus will welcome us into His Kingdom. If we only think of ourselves and neglect the needs of the people around us, then he will curse us and send us away into eternal punishment.

     Lord, help me to see you in every person I meet and to treat everyone with love and compassion.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     ARLETH MENDOZA

     HARRIS JAVIER T. NGO

     REV. FR. CALOY REYES

     RONALD CUADRO 

     HENRY C. PARIÑAS

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the successful surgery, healing and recovery of IRIS SANTOS LASIN

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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